Rizzo HR springs Cubs to 5-4 win

September 13, 2013|By Mark Gonzales | Tribune reporter

PITTSBURGH -- The Chicago Cubs would like to see a more consistent performance Friday night from Jake Arrieta, whose signs of dominance has been offset by his inability to put away hitters with two strikes.

"I see the same things you guys see -- command problems and putting guys away are his biggest things right now," manager Dale Sveum said Friday night. "Getting in those two-strike counts and putting people away instead of ... .

"I don’t know if he’s trying to nitpick or strike people out, and then we let the hitter get back into counts and stuff like that. We got to get over that hump and put guys away when we get two strikes on him."

Arrieta allowed three consecutive home runs in the fourth inning that wiped out a 3-0 lead, but Anthony Rizzo hit a towering two-run home run inside the right field foul pole off Jason Grilli that vaulted the Cubs to a 5-4 win at Pittsburgh.

Rizzo's homer, his first since Aug. 30, erased a 4-3 deficit in which reliever Brooks Raley couldn't handle Rizzo's throw that resulted in an error and enabled Andrew McCutchen to score the go-ahead run from second base in the sixth.

The Pirates rallied in the ninth when Jose Tabata reached safely on an infield hit off closer Kevin Gregg. But Neil Walker flied to the center field wall to end the game.

Arrieta had allowed one hit in the first three innings. But with two out in the fourth, Arrieta surrendered home runs to Pedro Alvarez, Russell Martin and Garrett Jones.

Alvarez's homer an inside-the-park homer, although television replays showed the ball clearing the fence in right center when a fan touched it and bounced into play.

This marked the first time the Pirates hit three consecutive home runs in a game since Aug. 20, 2003, against St. Louis.

The Cubs scratched a run off Charlie Morton in the second. Nate Schierholtz drew a walk, advanced to second on a sacrifice by Ryan Sweeney and moved to third on a single to left by Brian Bogusevic.

Darwin Barney grounded into a fielder's choice at second that scored Schierholtz.